Easy Sausage and Chickpea Pasta

Busy nights call for easy dinners like my Sausage and Chickpea Pasta. Ready in under an hour, this hearty dish combines sliced Italian sausage and chickpeas with al dente pasta in a garlicky tomato sauce, finished with fresh basil and parsley.

Hearty but easy

When I hear the word hearty as a description for food, I usually think of something that takes hours to make, but my Chickpea and Sausage Pasta with tomatoes is proof that hearty doesn’t need to take a long time.

This easy meal is one I turn to often on weeknights when I need something quick. The addition of sausage makes this dish a bit more filling than my pasta e ceci, but every bit as delicious.

To lighten things up, I usually serve this with my Italian broccoli salad or a side of garlic sautéed spinach.

Recipe Ingredients

All ingredients for this recipe are shown in the pic below and special notes are made in this bulleted list to assist you.

• Sausage. I’m using sweet Italian sausage links that I roast and slice. You can also use hot Italian sausage. If you prefer crumbled sausage, use bulk sausage and sauté in the pan (similar to how I do for my sausage cherry tomato pasta).
• Beans. I’m using canned chickpeas, but cannellini or navy beans would also work well. I use cannellini beans in my braised ribs and Italian sausage with beans, and that combination is delicious.
• Pasta. Mezzi rigatoni is my go-to for this sausage chickpea pasta, but any tubular pasta, such as rigatoni or penne, would work.
• Tomatoes. I’m starting with canned whole plum tomatoes and then crushing them by hand. You could also use canned crushed tomatoes to make it even easier.
• Anchovy. I love the depth of flavor anchovy fillets add to this dish. Use canned or jarred fillets. You can also use anchovy paste if preferred. Use as much or as little anchovies as you’d like – they’re optional.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

How to make sausage and chickpea pasta

Each number corresponds to the numbered written steps below.

1. Place the sausage links in a baking dish and poke a few holes in each, then roast in a 400°F oven for 15 minutes. Allow the links to cool, then slice on a bias.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Heat a large pan over medium heat for 2 minutes, then coat the pan with olive oil and add the sausage. Cook until browned on both sides and fully cooked through. Note: If using bulk sausage, sear the sausage and break it up with a wooden spoon. Transfer the sausage to a plate and cover with tented foil.

3. If the pan is dry, add a few more tablespoons of olive oil and add the garlic and anchovies. Sauté until lightly golden, then add the crushed red pepper and cook for 30 seconds.
4. Add the tomatoes and bring to a lively simmer.
5. Add the chickpeas and sausage and continue to cook at a moderate simmer. Cook the pasta in the boiling water until 1 minute less than al dente.
6. Add the pasta to the sauce and stir or flip to coat. If the pasta is dry, add 1/2 cup of reserved pasta water.

7. Cook for 30-60 seconds, then remove from the heat and add the grated cheese.
8. Taste test and adjust salt and pepper as needed, then finish with the parsley and basil and serve with more cheese.

More sausage pasta recipes

If you love the combination of sausage and pasta, give these other recipes a try.

• Sausage pasta fagioli
• Beans and greens sausage pasta
• Gorgonzola cream sauce pasta